Today have meeting with Regional Director of Metropolitan Housing – the housing association in charge of the flat in Wood Green where Joyce Vincent lay dead for two to three years.
Having gone over the procedures at length, I am part re-assured that the association is looking at ways that they can pick up on the warning signs from persistent lack of contact with a tenant. He gives me no details at all on the crucial issues of timing – and we outside just have to take the assurance that there was nothing about Ms Vincent that indicated she needed any more support or contact than the rest of us.
Mr Mawson picks up something I had put on my blog – which was that I am surprised around the lack of follow up on anyone who leaves a women’s refuge. I had ventured to suggest that there should at minimum level be a follow up phone call or something at 3 months, and 6 months for the first year or whatever – just to touch base, not necessarily intervene in any way. Mr Mawson says he will add it into the safety net pot that he is trying to create to ensure this doesn’t happen again. He promises to write to me when the report on the incident is finished and goes to the board. He seems determined to instigate better procedures.
The only niggle I really have left is that without any information as to the timing of any of the events leading up to Ms Vincent’s death – you kind of feel as if you haven’t made sure for yourself the facts of the case.
Spend rest of evening trying to deal with amendments for the Police Justice Bill on Wednesday.
Lynne Featherstone 